According to
Manetho, the VIth Dynasty kings came from Memphis. Appearances
of splendor were preserved under Dynasty VI rulers, who continued tradition of
building magnificent funerary complexes adorned inside with hieroglyphic texts.
But the first signs of social and political decay emerge. The right of
succession to the official positions acquired by provincial administrators
contributed vastly to the fall of central government. In last years of week and
doting pharaoh Pepi I and his heirs rule, anarchy reached its heyday.

Through
marriage with daugter of Unis – princess Iput, the mother of Pepi I and
princess Seshseshat- wife of vizier Mereruka,
he acquired rights to the throne. According to Manetho the ruler was murdered, also
complicated political circumstances at royal court at that times would
confirm this. Although there is no clear evidence for that, still most of
authorities (W.Helck, H.Goedicke,, J.Vercoutter, N.Grimal) support this
idea, strengthened to some extent by fact of Userkare’s accession to the
throne after the ruler’s death and just after that of the king Teti’s son
–Pepi I. Menetho assigned to Teti 30 (or 33) years of rule, Turin Canon
mentions 6 months and 21 days of rule. However, it is not clear if that
applies to Teti’s period of rule. He sent few times military expeditions to
southern Kanaan, his traces were found in Byblos. Burial place of the ruler
was pyramid at Saqqara located north from
pyramid of Userkaf.

The
fact that name of Userkare appears between rule of Teti and his son Pepi
I may indicate that there was either co-regency in times of Pepi’s
minority or Userkare overtook the rule illegally. First theory that has
been spread by N. Grimal says that Userkare shared regent rule with
Teti’s widow, the queen Iput in behalf of young successor to the throne.
Second theory populated by W. Helck points at violent overtaking of
rule. Manetho mentions murder of king Teti and this would corroborate
the second theory, it does not exclude the first possibility, though.
Also fact that in times of Pepi I name of Userkare’s vizier had been
removed and the usurper’s cartouche was replaced.
With king Teti cartouche would speak for the theory
of usurper’s rule. In P. Munro opinion Userkare’s mother was queen
Chentkaus. There is only few artifacts left including some seals of
Userkare, however both his name and fact of holding rule are confirmed
by Turin Canon and Table from Abydos

Turin
Canon gives to him 20 years of rule and Manetho – 53 years. Surviving data
mantion 21th and 25th population count and a levy. Assuming the two-year
rhytm of registers this suggests at least 50 years of rule. However opinions
vary among historians: Vercoutter – 44, Beckerath, Grimal – more than 40,
Hornung – 32, Helck – 20 years. Burial place -
pyramid at southern Saqqara. Pepi I was son of Teti and queen Ipuet.
Numerous war campaigns into Sinai and south Palestine. The ruler held also a
garrison in Nubia and lead policy of contests. Some penalty expeditions to
Asia, commanded by Weni, who was a head of many-thousand army, assured peace
along eastern boarders. In a period of prosperity trade expeditions to Punt
take place. He built temples at Tanis, Bubastis, Abydos, Dendera and Koptos.
At least one court conspiracy in times of his reign
is known to us. One of his wives was queen
Ankhesenpepi I
(Ankhesmerire I), the mother of Namtiemsaf I. Second wife,
her sister, queen Ankhesenpepi
II (Ankhesmerire II) was mother of Pepi II.

Turin
Canon gives 4 (44 or 14) years of rule,
according to Manetho – 7 years. Very energetic ruler, within short
period of his rule he continued policy of conquests at Nubia. Conquest
of Nubia allowed access to granite quarries at Ibhat and Aswan as well
as alabaster quarries at Hat-Nub. The governor at Elephantine, Harchuf,
made under Nemtiemsaf three expeditions to the land of Jam at Sudan,
from where he brought many goods to Egypt. He visited personally
Elephantine where he was paid homage by prince of Lower Nubia.
Unfortunately, short thereafter he died without leaving any successor.
To the rule came his very young step brother, Pepi II.
Burial place –
pyramid at southern Saqqara.

Step-brother
of Nemtiemsaf I. Turin Canon assigns to him 90 years of rule. Ascending the
throne he was only 6 years old, so that the rule in his behalf was held by
his mother and Pepi I widow, the queen Ankhnesmerire. Some scholars
(Beckerath, Vercoutter) deny such a long period of rule. Their assumptions
they support comparing to age of the ruler’s contemporaries, however it is
generally believed that Pepi II died aged 100, after the longest rule noted
ever in Egyptian history. Some expeditions to quarries at Hat-Nub and into
Sinai were recorded. Also war campaigns to Nubia, Libya and Asia and trade
expeditions to Punt were undertaken. Royal wives were:
Ankhesenpepi,
Neith,
Wedjebten and
Iput II. Burial
place – pyramid in Southern Saqqara.

Turin
Canon
gives one year and one month of rule, similarly as Manetho. Nemtiemsaf II
was a son of Pepi II and queen Neith, his wife was Nitekreti
(Nitocris). The story
tells that Nemtiemsaf was murdered and queen Nitocris
took revenge before committing suicide. The only document dated to that
times is a decree protecting cult of queens Ankhesenpepi
and
Neith, from pyramid complex of Neith in Southern Saqqara.

Queen
known to us from later records in Turin Canon and
Manetho.
Unfortunately documentation in form of contemporary to her artifacts
which could confirm her historical existence are missing. Legends passed
by Manetho should be considered with care. Turin Canon assigns to her 2
years, 1 month and 1 day of rule while Manetho – 12 years and
Erastotenes – 6 years.